Coin controlled apparatus



June 28, 1938. M. L. LANDRETH COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 11, 1956 Ml/ZWTOR MAMA/ U 5r A U- Lu ATTOAIVD June 28, 1938. M. LANDRETH COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed Jui 11, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- FIG.

June 28, 1938. M. L. LAND RETH 2,

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1936 "war/v70? M L. LANDRE T H Arron/m Patented June 28, 1938 PATENT. OFFiE 2,121,970. 7 com CONTROLLED APPARATUS Morton L. Landreth, Elnihurst, Ill'.,- assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 11, 1936, Serial No. 90,085 9 Claims. (01. 23.2-57.5)-

This'invention relates to coin controlled apparatus, and more particularly to coin collectors 'Oi" use at telephone pay stations. I 'I'his'invention is particularly applicable to telephone coin collectors of the type wherein the user tentatively deposits a coin which is subsequently collected or refunded by the centraloffice operator, depending upon whether or not the desired" telephone connection is obtained. A teleo phone coin collector of this general type is disclosed'in O. F. Forsberg U. S. Patent 1,043,219, issued November 5, 1912, in which a deposited coin is temporarilyheld upon a coin trap supported by a pivoted vane under the control of I 13 an'electromagnet. If the pivoted vane is moved by the 'electromagnet in one direction the depositedcoin is collected, while if it is moved in the, opposite direction the coin is refunded and the'direction thisvane is moved depends upon which direction the current is made to flow through the electromagnet. For accurately pro- .ducing such a selective actuation to control the coin collection or coin refund, apparatus is required" which is capable of consistent perform- 7 25 time under a wide variety of conditions. Also, it

is desirable to provide apparatus for this purpose that will successfully resist any attempts at fraudulent operation. An object of this invention is to provide a coin 3O controlled apparatus of simple and inexpensive construction and efilcientoperation. In accordance with the above object there is provided in one embodiment of the invention a telephone coin collectorcomprising an electro- 35 magnet having a permanently magnetized armature mountedpivotally for limited rotative movement .1 coin hopper for receiving a. deposited coin, and a pivoted vane in the coin hopper operated directly by the armature for selectively di- 40 recting the deposited coin into either a refund or collect, chute in the hopper. A pivoted trap is provided in the hopperto support. the deposited coinandto close a circuit connecting the apparatus to a-central ofiicewhen initially deflected by the weight of the deposited coin. To insure consistentandpositive operation of the apparatus, a magnetic latchis provided to engage and lock the vane in its --normal position and release it when 5 the electromagnet isenergized.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings; in which v 85 FigZ'I' is a side elevation, partly fragmentary,

of. one type of telephone coin collector with which this invention may be, used;

"Fig. -2 is a side View, partly in section, of an electromagnetically operated coin handling mechv anism, embodying the invention; Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig; 2, taken along the line 3, 3;

Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 3 taken along the line 7 l0 i Fig. 5 is an enlarged se'ctional rear view taken on line. 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing the coin diverting vane in an inclined position, v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of Fig. 4,'taken along the line 6-43;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view o'f'Fig. 4 taken along the line 'll; '"Fig. 8 is a similar View toFig. 7 showing an alternative construction for a coin directing vane and actuating armature; Fig.9 is a sectional iew similar to Fig. 2 showing an alternative form of the invention; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of themechanism shown in Fig. 9 taken along the line IDA-10'; 5 Fig. lllis a fragmentary view of the mechanism shown in Fig. lOtaken along the line Il- I;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe apparatus. shown in Figs. 1 to 8; s

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary section of Fig. 9,taken on the line l3l3, and

iFigfl' l isa perspective View of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figs. 9 to 11.

In the operation of the telephone coin collector shown in the appended drawings, a person wishing' to use the equipment inserts a coin in a coin gauge I 0 mounted on the instrument housing. The. deposited coin after traversing a coin chute H for testing its 'genuineness, drops into a coin hopper l2 and comes to rest 'on a coin trap I3 ex- 40 tending across the coin passageway. 'I'he'trap is pivotally mounted and while supporting a deposited coin engages a roller [4 on a vertical vane l 5'pivo'ted at its lower end. A coin passage below the trap is divide-dinto two channels, a refund chute I6 leading to an opening where coins are accessible from outside thecollector housing, and a collect chute i'l leading to a cash compartment within the housing. As explained in the -F'or'sberg patent, if the vertical vane is moved to '50 close the collect passageway, dropping of the. trapwill allow the deposited coin to fall into the refund chute while if the vane is moved to close the refund chute dropping of the trap will allow the deposited'coin to be diverted into the chute leading to the cash compartment. The apparatus so far described is similar to that disclosed in the Forsberg patent.

This invention is concerned with improved means for actuating the coin directing vane and controlling the operation of line circuits connecting the apparatus with the central office when a coin is deposited in the hopper or released from the coin trap.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 8, inclusive, an electromagnet I8 is suitably mounted adjacent to the coin hopper l2 on a common base l9. The electromagnet comprises two coils 20, each wound on a core 2| of soft iron or other magnetic material. The ends of the cores adjacent to the hopper terminate in pole pieces 22 and 23 of magnetic material, which project inwardly to the edge of spool heads 24 on the coils and have opposed curved faces. At the end of the coils opposite the pole pieces the magnetic cores are secured to a vertical flange 25 of the base l9 by means of screws 26. With this construction the flange portion between the screws completes a magnetic circuit between the cores. The two coils are connected in series and the introduction of direct current to their windings establishes opposed polarities in the pole pieces in accordance with the direction of the current as controlled by a central office operator.

A permanent magnet 2! having an elongated vertical axis is mounted pivotally on the base by means of a leaf or reed spring 28. The magnet is located between and in the same plane with the pole pieces of the electromagnet. One end of the leaf spring is secured to the base with a suitable mounting 29 and the center of the spring is cut out to yoke the permanent magnet and engage a slot 30 in the top portion of the magnet. The bottom end 3! of the magnet armature is V-shaped or knife-edged and rests in a corresponding V-shaped depression in the base. The leaf spring holds the permanent magnet armature resiliently in a normally vertical position, retaining the upper pole of the magnet about midway between the two pole pieces.

When the coils are energized the pole pieces, which are aligned with the upper pole of the magnet armature, attract and repel the upper pole of the magnet in accordance with the direction of current flow in the coils, thereby causing the armature to rotate in the V-shaped depression in the base against one of the pole pieces and carry the leaf spring with it. A disk 32 of non-magnetic material, such as brass, is secured to the two faces of the magnet which contact with a pole piece to prevent freezing of these members.

The coin diverting vane I5 is connected. directly to the armature by means of an ear 33 on the vane having a U-shaped cross-section which projects through an opening in the hopper housing and engages a lug 34 on the armature as shown in Fig. '7. The lug projects from the side and near the top of the armature and may be offset slightly to clear the supporting leaf spring. Operation of the armature by the introduction of current to the coils, as controlled by the central office operator, causes the vane to rotate on its pivot. This permits the trap to drop and release the deposited coin into either the refund or collect chute. It is also practical to actuate the vane by engagement between the ear 33 on the vane and the leaf spring, as shown in Fig. 8.

In order to insure satisfactory operation of the coin controlling mechanism and to prevent fraudulent manipulation of the apparatus to effeet the unauthorized return of deposited coins, the vane is locked in its normal or vertical position. This is accomplished with an elongated latch member 35 of magnetic material which is pivoted to the outside of the hopper on the same shaft 36 as the coin trap and extends downwardly into the plane of one of the pole pieces Secured to one face of the magnetic latch adjacent to the pole piece is a spring 37 of nonmagnetic material which is compressed against the pole piece and normally holds a notch 38 in the latch member in engagement with the vane to prevent movement thereof. When the electromagnet is energized to cause rotation of the coin directing vane, the magnetic latch member is attracted by the adjacent pole piece with sufficient force to overcome the resistance of the spring and rotate the latch member on its pivot, thus releasing the vane. The spring and latch are comparatively light in weight and when the pole piece is energized the latch responds instantaneously to release the vane before initial motion of the electromagnet armature, which is restrained by greater inertia and the supporting leaf spring, is applied to rotate the vane.

After the coin is collected, the line circuit is opened by the central oflice operator. The coils and pole pieces are immediately deenergized which permits the spring to restore the latch member into the path of the returning vane and forces the notch in the latch into engagement with the vane, locking it in normal position. The spring 31 is made of non-magnetic material which prevents freezing of the latch to the armature and facilitates the restoring action of the spring when the pole piece is deenergized.

The coin trap is also employed to signal the deposit of a coin to the central ofiice operator. A projection 39 extends from the edge of the trap opposite the trap pivot and projects through an opening in the hopper wall to engage a notched lug 40 secured to a horizontal shaft 4| on the outside of the hopper Wall when the trap is in a horizontal or highest position. The shaft also carries at its outer end an insulated cam 42 which actuates a pair of contact springs 43. The contact springs are mounted on a bracket 34 on the upper housing of the coin hopper. They are individually insulated and provided with terminals 45 and 46 which are suitably connected to a line circuit running to the central office as explained in the Forsberg patent.

In a complete cycle of operation the coin trap assumes three significant positions. Normally it is retained in its highest position by frictional engagement between the cam 42 and the two tensioned contact springs, aided by a counterweight 41, as shown in Fig. 4. In this position the'projection 39 on the trap is inengagement with the lug 4i) and the insulated cam on the connecting shaft 4| is positioned to hold the two contact springs apart. When a coin is deposited on the trap the weight of the coin over comes this frictional resistance and depresses the trap against the roller on the vertical vane beneath the trap. This movement rotates the shaft 4| and the cam 42 sufficiently to permit the contact springs to close and complete the line circuit to the central oflice.

As the next step in the cycle, the vane is rotated by operation of the electromagnet to coldent's or; returns-the depositedoor coi'n is released from-the trap the-el ,fereii'ce' withthe vane' movement.

turn stroke of the vane the cam arm is posi- After the omagiiet is :deen'ergized; I permittingthe leaf spring toreturnth'e -armaturebfand *the connectedvane to their normal positions. In this action the roll'er Oliifih'e vane and cou-nte'rweighton the trap combine t'orai-se-the trap to 'a horizontalipositioni Tb insure pOsIiti-Vereturn 4 of the trap to its normal or levated position foam members '48 are so"- cu-red pivctallyto the bottom "ofthe trap-to' engage the top of the vane onits' return strokef As man ang-1e of appreximately' 90 -to a relatively lon 'm 5'0 whiohis normally in a-vertical po'si nc-n When' th' coindirectingvane is moved fro assver'ti'esr osition'to drop that'rap, the cam is free toswing onits pivot and avoid inter On the retioned in its path by the flange 49which rests against the trap bottom. In this position the cam arm presents an inverted inclined plane to the vane which causes the vane to lift the trap to its normal position. The projecting member on the coin trap engages the notched lug which rotates the horizontal shaft and the insulated cam positioned between the line switch contact springs sufliciently to spread the springs and open the line circuit.

An alternative mechanism for actuating the coin deflecting vane is shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. This construction comprises an electromagnet having asingle coil 5| wound on a core 52 of magnetic material. Two pole pieces 53 and 54 are secured to the ends of the core with screws 55. The pole'pieces each have bent portions extending parallel to the core along the side of the coil and terminating in opposed pole faces 56 and The use of a single coil and this type of pole piece construction are also suitable for the embodiment of the invention previously described. 7

An elongated permanent magnet 58 is mounted on a pivotal horizontal shaft 59 at its center in the gap between the two pole pieces. The magnet and pole faces are in the same plane and when the pole faces, are energized by the intro- I duction of current to the coil, the magnet arrotation of the shaft. tation is determined by the selective direction mature is rotated aboutits center, which causes The direction of this roof current flow in the coil winding and consequent polarity of the pole pieces.

Movement of the armature andconnected shaft actuates the coin vane l5:on its pivot 60 through a gear sector 6| mounted on the arma- -ture shaft and a gear 62 on an extension 63 of the shaft that supports the vane in its pivot.

The vane, armature "and their connecting mech- I anism are retained in normal positions by means of a coiled spring 64, one end ofwhich issecured to the base I!) and the other end to the vane supporting shaft 63, aided by the magnetic balance betweenthe armature 58 and the pole pieces 56 and 51. The springalso functions to restore the members to their normalpositions when the electromagnet is released'at the end of an operating cycle. A modified form of magnetic latch is shown in Figs. '9 and 10. A latch mem.-

ber 65 pivoted on the trap supporting shaft 36 has'a latch arm 66' normally extending parallel to the hopper housing and engaging a projection Won the vane which extends through anopening in the housing wall. An actuating arm 68 of' magnetic material extends downwardly into the plane'ofone of the electromagnet pole-pieces. A spring 69 of non-magnetic material is secured to the actuating arm and compressed ag'ainstthe pole pi'ece to normally hold the latch ar'rniri'engagement with the vane. When the pole piece is energized the actuating arm is magnetically attracted, causing the latch member to rotaton its pivot F'andwithdraw the latch arrnclear of" the vane-projection. After the electromagnetisreleasedthe spring restores the member to its'n'or mal position and forces the latch into engagement with the vane. This construction canbe usedwith the other required elementadefined and described above to providea complete coin actuated mechanism of satisfactory operationt Either'construction provides a sim'plean'de'flicient mechanism for actuating a coincontrolled a paratus. The use of an electromagnetfhaving an 'armature directly connected to thecoirfdi' verting vane minimizes the number of component parts required. The permanent magnet armature can be made of cobalt steel or other high coercive force materials to produce a compact and positively operating device. For applications wherele'ss selective actuation is required an argle coil electromagnet having a permanently magnetized armature mounted pivotally for limited rotative movement, a hopper for receiving a deposited coin, a refundchute, a collect chute, and a pivoted member in the hopper directly connected to said armature and responsive to the movement of the armature for engaging and selectively directing a coin deposited in said hopper into one of said chutes.

3. In a coin collector, a hopper for receiving a deposited coin, a movable member mounted within the hopper for-directing the deposited coin, a

latch for engaging said member to lock it in one position, and an electromagnet for releasing said latch and operating said member.

4. In a coin collector, a hopper for receiving deposited coins, a movable member within the hopper for directing the deposited coins, a pivoted latch of magnetic material having a notched portion to engage the coin directing member andlock said member in normal position, a spring to normally hold the notched portion in engagement with the member, and an electromagnet for rotating the latch on the pivot and releasing the member from the notched portion.

5. In a coin controlled apparatus, a pivotally mounted coin directing member, a single coil elec tromagnet having a an elongated permanently magnetized armature directly connected to the coin directing member to pivot said member in accordance with the movement of the armature,

said armature being supported on a bevelled portion at its lower end and having a slot in its top surface, and a U-shaped leaf spring yoking the armature and engaging the slot for holding the armature in normal position.

6. In a telephone coin collector, a coin hopper, a refund chute, a collect chute, a pivoted member within the hopper, an electromagnet having a permanently magnetized armature, and a hinged leaf spring yoking the armature and connected to the pivoted member for moving said member responsive to the position of the armature and directing a coin deposited in the hopper into one of the chutes.

'7. In a coin controlled apparatus, a movable coin directing vane hinged at its lower end, and a single coil electromagnet having a permanent magnet armature directly connected to the vane and supported for pivotal movement around an axis parallel to the axis of the vane.

8. In a coin controlled apparatus, a movable coin controlling member, and an electromagnet hopper, and a single coil electromagnet adjacent to the hopper comprising a pair ofspaced pole pieces, a rotatable shaft between the pole pieces, a permanent magnet armature fixed to the shaft, and a gear segment fixed to the shaft for engaging the gear on the vane shaft and moving the vane in accordance with the movement of the armature.

MORTON L. LANDRE'I'H. 

